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I get very worried when people begin to say that the way to solve the problem of divisiveness is to move toward the center, which is where most people are. Of course, there is some truth to that. America, except when things fall apart, has mostly favored slightly right-center policies.

But, that never solves anything. That means that the people who compromise are ready, once again to delay the necessary changes. Justice remains slightly unequal, favoring the rich and the white. The economy goes back to exploiting the poor who need to accept low wages so that those with more money can afford to enjoy themselves. Look what got quickly eliminated from the newest big bill — for the 200th time, no support for working women — no childcare, eldercare, early childhood education, or family leave.

The FIRST thing that needs to happen if the country is going to pull together again peacefully, is that we have to agree on some basic truths, such as everyone should have easy access to vote, and every vote should count. The dominant party in any state should not cheat by gerrymandering or voter suppression, just to stay in power. People should not be allowed to threaten the lives of school board members, election officials, the opposition party, or anyone else who disagrees with them. It should be the task of the people who strongly hold any position to monitor the people on their side and reject those who lie, demonize, or threaten violence to the other side.

We want to live in a democracy. We need to listen to and respect each other. We also need to recognize that some things are true and others are not and that the truth matters.

Life in America should not put people in a win at any cost situation. Cooperation, negotiation, and caring would help a lot.